Dead man's party(Stefan/open)

[matthew]

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So there it was. Chris looked down at the small marker. He had to walk around the cemetery three times. And move back some blades of grass that had covered it. But he found it. A small grave marker that bared his name. He wondered how they had managed to do that since the body was missing. Or who they had buried in his place. The dirt just below it did look fresh. Marina had taken care of him. She had got him a new ID and bank account. Brought his stuff to her place. And even got his land lord to leave his old apartment alone. If he wanted he could move back. Maybe she had found a body to pose as him.

The marker did have a police shield on it. The sign he was killed in the line of duty. If they only knew. He was working with Marina. Learning his new found vampire skills. Yet it all is still new.

He had to see it. He was surprised that it was there. In a corner of the graveyard and you can barley sees it from the main pathway. But it is there. Which meant he was dead. A week ago he was just a police officer from New York. The newbie on the force. The big shot from New York. He would give anything for one of the guys to say that to him now. He was holding on to it as best as he could. He had his gun with him. Vampires do not need guns. But he did. It was a part of him. And who he was.

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[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

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Brushing her hair out of her eyes Mari saw Chris enter the cemetery and look at his headstone. She’d found the body of a homeless man, someone no one would miss, and put it in the coffin before it was buried. She’d even drunk some bagged blood that she had on hand for cases like this and had the coroner and mortician think they had done their duty. It was all neatly paid for with Chris’ life insurance and he had plenty to live on as his twin that was separate from anything related to his old life.

And yet here he was, staring at his headstone. She wanted to facepalm, this was not good. She made her way over to him, her black dress and hat making it look like she was a friend in mourning if anyone went looking, “Hey there. You doing okay?” she asked him gently as she regarded him with her dark eyes. She stared at his headstone. “Mine had to be replaced in 1830. The weather just wore it away. They think that there is some mysterious benefactor that keeps the headstones in good condition but I just couldn’t let my family disappear like that.” She said absently as she regarded him a moment.

“What’s with the firearm?” she asked him quietly, she’d gotten him a gun permit as well but had really hoped he wouldn’t need it. Vampires with guns seemed so déclassé. When you could literally rip the limbs off a person before they could blink or break their spine with a flick of your wrist it just seemed silly to have a gun. Those things just hurt and had a tendency to cause more trouble than they were worth in relation to vampires. Hunters used them, that was why she disliked them. They could hit you out of nowhere.

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[Stefan Demetrio Salvatore]

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Stefan had gotten a text from Marina telling him that she met a new vampire. Stefan was a class act like that, stepping in to help someone he didn't know. He knew that this guy probably didn't choose this life, no one did really. But Stefan decided it was best to meet him and offer his help, even if he didn't want it. The guy was lucky it happened as recently as it did, because if it had happened two weeks ago, then Stefan would be 'Whatever, deal with it yourself, I don't care.' towards him. Or worse he would put a stake in his heart and finish the job.

Heartless Stefan was not fun Stefan. So he entered the cemetery. Where Marina told him that the guy would be. He approached quietly and stood next to them as he looked down at the headstone. Stefan didn't have the benefit of having a headstone, or was it a curse to have one? Stefan didn't know. "Hi, I'm Stefan." He introduced himself to the guy, he didn't know how he would react, if he would tell Stefan to go to hell or not? Stefan wouldn't blame him if that is the way he acted towards him, as it was hard to trust other vampires when you are a new one yourself.

Stefan didn't even know why he was here. Stefan was perhaps the worst Vampire ever. But Marina was a friend, she had been so since 1987, and if she wanted his help, then he was gonna do his best. "How did it happen?" Stefan asked, he knew it was probably a sensitive topic for him still, but it was best to talk about these sort of things and get them off your chest, it really did make you feel better most of the time and it allowed you to accept it much easier then if you pretended it never happened in the first place.

Tags: Christopher and Marina
Words: 325
Notes: Poor Cristopher

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[matthew]

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He could smell her before she spoke. And yet he did not turn to look at her. Are you okay was the understatement of the year. "As best as I can be." He replied even though he was not feeling okay. He could feel her eyes looking at him. He had to look. Taking a quick glance at her. Her black dress, and hat was a little much. "At least you came to my funeral." He joked. She talked about her tombstone. At lest she got one. "Yes and plastic markers are very it these days. Unlike the old fashioned stone ones." He was trying to make light of everything. But he realized it may have sounded too harsh. "Am sorry. Thank you for everything." He turned to look at her. Getting lost into her eyes once more. "I mean it. Thank you."

Chris touched his pistol that was locked firmly in place on his belt holster. "This gun I know. I know how to use it. Human's have guns. I trust this." He said as he pointed to his gun. "Better then this." He said as he pulled a large thick branch off a nearby tree. As if it was a twig. "I cannot loose control with a gun."

Chris knew someone else was walking towards him, another vampire. He wanted to grab his gun and point it at the guy. He looked to Marina to for what he should do.

He nodded at the guys introduction. "Chris." He replied. He was not sure if he should trust him or not. But so far he has been surviving on trust. He thought it was weird that the next question was so how did you die. He did not say it that way but he meant it. But since he did not see what harm it would do he would tell him. As well as Marina.

It was the first time he had to think of it. He remembered bits and pieces. But never really had to think of the whole story. He focused his mind to that night. That routine patrol that changed his life.

"I was a police officer in New York. I had been transferred here about four months ago. It was just a normal night patrol. My partner stopped for a smoke break. And I waited in the car. I heard a noise. I went to investigate. Found my partner dead. His gun was missing. Then I heard a gunshot. And I was on the ground bleeding. I fought to reach to call for backup. But felt someone strong pull my head back." He stopped as he realized what the thick liquid was, blood. "I was fed blood. But at the time I did not know it. Then another gun shot and I woke up in a morgue. I did not see who did this to me. Is that what you wanted?"

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[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

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She nodded and listened to his moodiness, he had every right to be upset with what had happened to him, “I’m not trying to upset you. We just have to be careful.” She nodded and looked bashful as he thanked her, “You’re welcome.”

Seeing the branch ripped so casually off the tree she glanced about, “We will teach you control. Once you know what you can do the easier it is, Chris. Its just going to take practice.” She smiled when she saw Stefan approach and a look of relief filled her face as she nodded at Christopher. “Stefan is a friend of mine. I thought it would be good for you to meet more people.” She added softly then lapsed into silence when he spoke of his transition.

He really was having a hard time, to be moved from a big city to this town and then to get shot and fed from? She didn’t know who would do such a thing. Silently she glanced over at Stefan, wondering if he might have a clue. If anyone would know a vampire capable of doing this it would be someone who had lived here for a few years. Mari simply was too new to the area to know for certain who may have done this and why.

“I’m sorry that happened to you, Chris.” She said gently. There was never a good time to become a vampire. She couldn’t think of anyone that the transformation had gone well for. It was a curse, plain and simple. It sucked no matter how you looked at it. She hadn’t gotten a ring for Chris, not certain how he would react to the world around him. She wasn’t going to be responsible for someone being able to walk about in daylight unless they had self-control. Right now, Chris lacked that. He was nerves and passions, none of which was good. If she was smarter she’d leave and let Stefan tackle this but she worried that Chris would shut down on him.

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[Stefan Demetrio Salvatore]

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Stefan nodded, he could tell that Chris was quite upset about it. Stefan honestly had no idea who would do something like this. The vampires he knew personally would never do it, but there was always possible that Klaus or any of his siblings had something to do with it. He knew it wasn't Lexi, or Caroline, or even Damon. Damon had enough restraint not to do something like this. Merry didn't seem to know much about it either. Stefan had heard rumblings of other vampires in the area and in Richmond as well. The whole area seemed to be a supernatural hot spot, like there was a war coming or something.

That was unsettling to think about, but Stefan had his own problems to worry about to not have to worry about the reasons why everything was happening. "Yeah, I don't think any vampire died from being a human well." Stefan said honestly. He wasn't gonna bring up the fact that his own father shot and killed him in the back all those years ago. This wasn't about him, it was about Chris and what he was going through. Stefan was far from a saint, but he always wanted to help. Things were easier with Caroline, cause he knew her beforehand and part of him knew that she can handle being a vampire.

Stefan did not know Chris that well, in fact not at all. Stefan didn't want to make a judgement, but it already seemed like Chris was not taking things very well. Marina knew him better then Stefan could ever, so Stefan was only there to give him advice on what he should do. It would be up to Marina to see that he does it. Marina was the one that had to be there for Chris, and Stefan could only do so much. "I'm sorry that happened to you. For what its worth, no one wants this to happen to them, but how you handle it means a lot." Stefan told him honestly. To bad Stefan handled being a vampire so poorly.

Tags: Christopher and Marina
Words: 346
Notes: None

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[matthew]

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Chris was not surprised by the fact that they did not know who did this to him. He could not help but to notice the irony. His younger brother was killed. The police never found who did it either. That was his driving force behind him joining the academy. Stefan and Marina seemed to think that it will all work out. At the moment he was not so sure.

It was like his life was going so good. Then the rug got pulled out from under him. He has to relearn how to live all over again. He hated drinking blood. But yet if he did not it would kill him. But he was dead already. He could feel the burning pain in his throat rise. That unbearable pain. It was then that he realized he had not had any blood all day. The thought of downing the thick crimson again. He would rather have a root canal. It was meds he had to take. He would never get used to no matter how much time had passed.

Time, the thought came to him that he is immortal. The mood he was in he wanted to take his gun and shot himself. But what good would that do. He would just heal. There was so much that one person took from him. To get married and have a family. To grow old with someone. To walk on the beach. To get drunk. That last one he could live without.

"I just met you Stefan. And already you know more about me then I know about you." He smiled. There was something about him he did not like. He just did not know what. Deep down he thought it was because he was a guy friend of Marina's but quickly dismissed it. "Was it this hard for you. How did you die?"

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Thanks to Stella for giving me ideas for this post.

[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

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Marina nodded and listened as Stefan spoke, “Chris, I know you thought that you would find who sired you but the reality is that you may never find out who it was. I never knew my sire. My parents refused to tell me who had done it saying they didn’t want me to owe anyone any favors. Given that I have yet to meet anyone older than I am who would turn me I had to eventually drop the idea of getting justice. You may have to as well. Knowing why or who did it doesn’t change the fact you are a vampire. You won’t become human because you know and it won’t absolve you of any guilt you may carry.”

Voice of experience here; Sometimes you just had to get over it and move on. Lemons and lemonade after all, “Focus on being a better vampire if you can. Because taking a sunbath won’t change what you are it will just hurt and you’ll die. Believe me, I tried. It hurts like hell.” Yeah it was a night for big reveals. Stefan knew very little about her honestly and it sometimes helped to let your friends know your history. It helped Chris to know he was alone so as far as Mari saw it it was a win win.

“The point of being a vampire is to find something to live for. Make it something for yourself. Anyone who tells you living for another person is the way to do it is lying. Other people can abandon you. But deep down, you never abandon yourself so find what makes you keep on living. Find your spark and nourish it. And don’t beat yourself up if you fall flat on your face a few times. I did. I got pissed off in Spain with the Spanish Inquisition and killed some of the more sadistic inquisitors for what they did to people. I also did my fair share of Nazi killing in World War II. You’re going to make mistakes, Chris. That’s a given. Its what you do AFTER your mistakes that tells what kind of person you will be. And believe me, Stefan and I have both been there. I chose Stefan to help teach you because he makes mistakes but he keeps going in spite of all that. He’s had his douchebag moments but deep down he works hard at doing the right thing. He’s probably the closest thing I have to a brother.” She said with a grin to both men. She put a hand on Stefan’s shoulder and squeezed gently if he let her, showing a sign of solidarity with him.

Notes: Gotta love the guy that is like your brother. ♥

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[Stefan Demetrio Salvatore]

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"My father shot my brother and I 150 years ago." Stefan told him, at least Christopher didn't have to live with the fact that his own father betrayed him. That was pretty much the quick version, the version he felt like sharing. He didn't want to let him know that he and his brother fell for the same girl once upon a time and it turned out she was a vampire, and that whole story. Stefan didn't want to inform Christopher on how he handled it, Stefan handled it very poorly to be quite honest, but he asked and Stefan felt he should be honest.

"Very badly actually. I, went to confront my father who was surprised to see me. I hadn't fully completed the turn yet, I hadn't plan to. I guess I didn't know my own strength and ended up killing my father. I couldn't resist drinking his blood and I turned." Stefan told him, Stefan should of died that night, he should not have drank from his father, but he had to, he couldn't stop himself. "I spent the next year or so doing whatever I wanted, hurting whoever I wanted, I was quite horrible back then." Stefan told him, he knew Chris won't take this news to kindly.

Stefan didn't agree with Marina's idea of being a vampire. Stefan found very little in himself to live for. It wasn't till he found Lexi, or did she find him? Did he give a damn about himself. She saved his life back then, and Elena was the one that saved his life recently. So it was the complete opposite for Stefan, he, as himself, found very little reason to live, but with his friends and love of his life, he had that reason to live. He just did not think Marina was right at all and he wanted to say something, but maybe every vampire was different.

"Sometimes it is hard to find something in yourself, so finding strength in others who care about you could be just as important." Stefan stated simply. It didn't discount Marina's opinion completely, it just gave another point of view to look at. Stefan also didn't know what Marina meant by he was like a brother. Stefan and her met in the 80s, and only saw each other very few times over the next 30 years. But he didn't want to say that out loud, Stefan saw only one person as a family member, and that was Damon, and they were not always on the best of terms. Lexi was a close second, but he cared to much about her to lump her in as a family member seeing as he never really had the best family life anyways.

Tags: Christopher and Marina
Words: 457
Notes: None

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[matthew]

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Chris knew what it was like to lost a brother. But to have his own father kill him. Chris kept quiet as he listened to Stefan's story. Chris' little brother was his best friend. And to loose him was painful. He remembered being strong for his mother. He could only imagined taking the life of a family member. The pain he must have been in. And the relationship with his brother must have took it's toll on him.

Chris looked at the row of headstones just behind Stefan. All the names of once loved ones. And the pain each death had caused. Then he looked back at Marina when Stefan talked about finding strength in the ones who care about you. He promised he would step back. They just met and needed time to grow their relationship. She had a hard life that he would not wish on anyone. And was a nun at one time. If it was meant to be then he would wait. And if not. Then he hoped she would remain a good friend. After all she was the one that pulled him out of the gutter. If anything she was the thing Stefan was talking about. About finding someone to live for. Even if she did not know it. She said not to live for someone else. To find a spark. But right now and until he found it. He would hold onto her as his spark. After all he felt a spark when he touched her arm.

He would try and not make mistakes. In his mind mistakes equal someone dying. He looked at both of them and felt stupid for acting so bad. He had it easy compared to them both. He did not know what to say. So he sat in silence for a few moments.

"So. Where do I go from here? Some vampire training course. But am still keeping my gun." The pain in his throat, he could not hold back anymore. He held his throat as he looked at them. "Sorry, guess no blood all day is a bad thing."

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Note:Sorry for taking so long.

[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

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She listened to Stefan’s words and gently shrugged. Different opinions made the world go round and she did not want Chris thinking there was only her way of existing. That wouldn’t do him any good whatsoever. She tried really hard to give him options so that he could change his new unlife. She wasn’t going to tell him it was easy or it was something anyone could do.

Hell she couldn’t even change the fact that she was a vampire. Her parents took that choice away from her and for the first few years she had basically curled up and died. She’s tried everything to kill herself and get out of the hell that she felt she was trapped in. Eventually it didn’t work and she had to live for herself.

People died on you, they let you down, and they dumped you and dated other people. You could make things work if you looked to them but it always helped if you did things for yourself. No one gave a crap if you were a nice guy. Nice guys that just expected people to fall for them because they were nice were just being passive aggressive. They were nice because they expected to get something from it. In the end it always blew up on them. That didn’t mean Chris had to be a jerk but he did have to be honest about why he was doing things as a vampire. Always know your reasons. And if they are bad own them. Your choices are your own.

“Chris I am not the one to be telling you how to be a better vampire. I tried to kill myself and had to be locked up for five years by my parents because the minute they left me alone I was trying to stake myself or take a sunbath. I’m not the person to tell you how to make it from night to night. The only reason I’m alive is because my parents locked me away and passed animals through a doggie door sized hole. Don’t ASK me how I did it. It hurts too much.” She said softly as she turned away. “Do what works for you. Whatever that is. All I know is that everyone I loved turned me into this and died on me so please don’t ask me how to get through because I just don’t know.”
It hurt to be that honest but it was there. Her parents had had her turned into a monster, barely gotten her stable then died on her. It hurt. A lot. She’d tried a lot of things in her past but it never helped. If your family made you something that you never wanted to be then died on you how could you trust anything or anyone?

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[Stefan Demetrio Salvatore]

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"That depends where do you want to go. What do you want to do?" Stefan asked Chris when he asked where he should go from here. The truth was that it was all up to Chris, and what he wanted to be or do. Stefan couldn't answer it for him as he didn't know enough about him to give him an honest answer. Besides that, Stefan was the last vampire on the face of the earth to ask such a question, as his decisions when he was a new vampire were horrible. It wasn't till Lexi showed up that he knew he was doing stuff wrong. Lexi's avice would come in handy right about now.

Stefan nodded when Chris mentioned he had no blood all day. "You should quench your thirst when you have to." Stefan said, though he was the last person to talk about controlling the lust. Still, it was the only advise he could give to Chris on the topic. He listened to Marina's tale of what she tried to do, and Stefan supposed that almost every vampire tried to kill them self at some point in time. Rather they found they had no reason to live, or they grew tired of living, or they just couldn't take it any more. Stefan had a lot of days where the guilt was so bad he didn't want to live anymore.

That is why Stefan felt it was important to have something, more specifically someone to hold on to. Stefan would have killed himself a dozen times just the past few months if he did not have Elena to hold on to. Personal belongings and everyday items weren't enough, they helped, but over time you get over them, move on, people you love, that lasts forever, even when the person passes on and becomes a memory. Even if Elena were gone, a thought Stefan did not like thinking about, and he went through this without her, she would still be in his memory and heart enough to make him want to live.

Stefan's phone then vibrated and he apologized to them. "I'm sorry, Elena has texted me telling me she needs my help with something." Stefan said, he knew he was being a little rude, he would normally ignore a text in the middle of a conversation with someone else, but the fact that it was Elena and she needed him, and she was just in his thoughts, he decided he couldn't avoid it. "Chris, whatever your plan is, no matter how hard it gets, don't give up. Don't give in to temptation, that's not a path you want to go down." Stefan gave his final words of advice to the new vampire.

Stefan waved bye to Marina and began to walk off. Stefan knew that she could take it from here if she wanted to. Stefan had little advice left to give to Chris anyways and he felt he would be standing around not helping any, anyways.

Tags: Christopher and Marina
Words: 499
Notes: Sorry to pull Stefan out of this thread. I think he had said as much as he can say to help Chris anyways, on top of that I am about to get 4 or 5 threads added for the BBQ plot, and so I need to pull my characters from a few threads, sorry.

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[matthew]

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Chris waved Stefan bye, "Thanks," He smiled. Chris liked that he said to find something to live for. But he had a feeling he would have to work hard for it. He looked to Marina and smiled. Problem was with his ever growing thrust he could smell a human close by. His face changed.

"You smell it too." He asked. He wanted to rip their throat out. And drink the red nature inside. "Marina, what do I do? I cannot ignore this." He ran to the newer part of the cemetery. And jumped onto of a small mausoleum. He looked down as he saw a woman in her early thrifty. She had long red hair that was pulled up in a high pony tail. She looked to be putting flowers on a grave. Her exposed neck made his blood boil. Inside he was fighting for control. His human side screaming at the demon within. But he was so thirsty. His head pounded from it. His fangs was long and sharp. And begged to be inside that woman's neck. He could not take it any longer and jumped down on top of her. He held her arms as he bit into her neck.

He regained control as he stood. The women looked in shock and was bleeding from the neck. "Am sorry." He felt his heart ached. And the words that Marina and Stefan told him seemed to melt as he looked into her eyes. He could not stand himself anymore after what he just did. He took his gun out of his holster and took it off safety. He knew it would not kill him but he hoped it would keep him from hurting anyone else. The women screamed as she thought he was going to shot her. Chris placed it at his heart and fired,

The women rolled over and ran out of sight. Chris lay on the ground unmoving on his stomach as a stream of blood flowed out of his chest

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[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

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Mari looked at Stefan and sighed, “Be well, Stefan.” She murmured as the other vampire left to go speak with someone else. What she didn’t expect to happen was for Chris to catch scent of some woman in the cemetery. His speeding over to her and biting her seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. She rushed over to stop him when the next thing she knew he had shot himself in the chest. Sighing she bolted after the woman.

Stopping her she grabbed her and compelled her to be calm. Then after feeding her enough blood to heal her wounds she instructed her to go home and stay there for 24 hours. Forgetting anything that happened to her and letting her think she had pricked herself.

Once she returned to where Chris was she grabbed him up and ran back home with him. Dumping him in the bathroom she dug out her tweezers and removed the bullet from where it had started to work its way out of his chest. She cursed and swore the whole time as she threw the piece of lead into the commode and flushed it. Cleaning the blood off she put him in bed, removing the gun and his holster.

After a moments thought, she locked it away in a box in her room. No one went in there and when he woke she would give it back to him IF he proved he was worthy of it. She was getting fed up with having to play baby sitter. With a deep sigh she cleaned up the mess and then went to bed. Miffed that this had even happened.

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[ADMIN ASHLEY]